Renfro signs with Cards

Dan Renfro has always liked acting. During his years in school he has been in several plays and read a lot of scripts. Recently, Renfro's ability to read another kind of script a football playbook earned him a college scholarship.

Renfro signed with William Jewell College Thursday, April 4, to play football for the next four years at the NAIA school in Liberty, Mo.

"I'm a Cardinal now," Renfro said with a smile a few days after the signing. "I'm happy to know where I'm going and I think William Jewell is the best fit."

Renfro said he plans to study acting and communications in college, and he hopes to become an actor someday. As for the possibility of continuing his football career someday, Renfro said everything from this point on is icing on the cake.

"If football ends after these four years, then great," Renfro said. "If it doesn't, then great. Who knows where that's going to take me? All I know is I want to do something I love and get paid for it."

In a way, Renfro has already received compensation for doing what he loves. Through his schoolwork he has been given several awards and scholarships. Through his athletic ability he has accepted more honors and in some cases the two have even crossed paths.

In February, Renfro was one of six area football players to receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Greater Kansas City Coaches Association. He is also scheduled to play in a June Missouri-Kansas all star football game.

As Renfro sat and reflected on all of his accomplishments and all that's still to come, he couldn't help but let out a laugh. After all, when he went out for football his freshman year, he had no idea it would lead to such great things.

"I mainly just went out for football because my brother did it," Renfro said. "I had no idea and I didn't even think it could lead to something like this. I always knew I'd go to college, but the football part of that has really come in the last couple years."

Now that it's part of his life, Renfro can't seem to get enough football. Signing the letter of intent with William Jewell did nothing to calm that obsession.

"I'm already itching to get in pads and start practicing for the all star game," Renfro said of the game that will be played on June 6. "Once we get going with that I know I'll be even more ready to get the season going and start hitting again."

Renfro will get an opportunity to earn playing time right away at William Jewell. If he doesn't earn a starting spot on varsity, however, Renfro said the team also has a junior varsity schedule, so he knows he'll get a chance to play.

"It's nice to know that if I go in there and work hard I'll get to play," Renfro said. "And I'm looking forward to advancing my acting, too. Some of that stuff on the field is acting trying to intimidate people and following a playbook so I think it's going to be a lot of fun."